Church of St Mary the Virgin, Fordwich facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary the Virgin, Fordwich |
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Tower of the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Fordwich
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| OS grid reference | TR 181 598 |
| Location | Fordwich, Kent |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 30 January 1967 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Anglo-Saxon, Norman, Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Ragstone, flint and brick Roofs tiled |
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is an old Anglican church in the small town of Fordwich, Kent, England. It is no longer used for regular church services, but it is a very important historical building. The church is listed as a Grade I building, which means it is of great national importance. It is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust, an organization that cares for historic churches. You can find the church close to the center of Fordwich, about 3 kilometers (2 miles) northeast of Canterbury.
Contents
History of the Church
The Church of St Mary the Virgin was first built around the time of the Norman era. This was in the 11th century. Some parts of the church, especially in the main area called the nave, might even be older, from the Anglo-Saxon period.
In the 12th century, more sections were added. These included the chancel, which is the part of the church where the altar is, and the north aisle, a side passage. The chancel was made longer in the 13th century. At this time, the tall tower at the west end of the church was also built.
Later, in the 14th century, new windows were put into the south wall of the church. In the 18th century, special Box pews were added inside. These are like private seating areas. The floor of the church was also covered with tiles. The church stopped holding regular services in 1995. It was then given to the Churches Conservation Trust in 1996, so they could protect it.
Church Architecture
Outside the Church
St Mary's Church is built from different kinds of stone, including ragstone, and also flint and brick. Some parts of its walls are covered with a smooth finish called stucco. The roofs are covered with tiles.
The church has a main area called the nave, with a north aisle next to it. There is also a south porch, which is a covered entrance. The chancel is at the east end, and a tower stands at the west end. The tower has a pointed roof called a broach spire, which is covered with wooden shingles. The porch is made of wood in a style called timber framing.
You can see two narrow Anglo-Saxon windows in the north aisle. There is also a window from 1503 with three sections. The chancel has two windows from the 13th century and a larger one from the 15th century. The windows in the nave have decorative shapes at the top, like four-leaf clovers, called quatrefoil heads.
Inside the Church
If you look closely, you might notice that the floor under the arcade (a row of arches) between the nave and the aisle has sunk a little. This makes the arches look like they are leaning.
Inside the base of the tower, there is a special shelf where bread used to be placed for the poor. The 18th-century Box pews are still in the church. In the northeast part of the nave, there is a special pew for the town's mayor. It has a fancy wrought iron stand to hold the mayor's mace. Above this pew, you can see a decorative shield, or cartouche, with the Cinque Port Arms.
The large font, used for baptisms, stands between the nave and the aisle. It is in the Norman style and has carvings of blank arches. It is made from a type of stone called Bethersden marble and has a wooden cover from the 17th century.
Above the arch leading into the chancel, you can see the Royal arms from 1688, belonging to King James II. On either side of the east window, there are boards with the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer written on them.
The colorful stained glass in the east window is from the 20th century. It was designed by Martin Travers and remembers a rector (a church leader) who passed away in 1931. Other windows in the nave have older, medieval stained glass. These show scenes like the Coronation of the Virgin, the Virgin Mary and Child, and the special symbols for Saint Mark and Saint Luke.
You can also find a brass plaque from 1605 in the nave. There are three hatchments (diamond-shaped boards with coats of arms) in the church, two of them from the 17th century.
The organ in the church has one keyboard. It was built by G. M. Holdich and later fixed up in 1899 by Browme. It used to be in St Martin's Church, Canterbury and was moved here in 1908. The church also has a set of four bells. All of them were made by Joseph Hatch, one in 1624 and the other three in 1633. However, these bells can no longer be rung.
The Fordwich Stone
In the north aisle of the church, there is a large block of limestone. It stands about 1.7 meters (5.5 feet) tall and is carved to look like a tomb. This stone dates back to around 1100. Many people believe it was once the shrine of a saint.
It is not known exactly how long this stone has been in the church. It was moved from the church to Canterbury Cathedral in 1760 but was brought back to Fordwich in 1877. Some experts think it might have been part of the shrine of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, a very important early Christian leader in England.
See also
